Ruth Gottscho Kidney Foundation Update: Kidney Camp to Resume for 46th Season

It’s a Go!

Our sleep-away kidney camp program will resume this summer at Frost Valley after a hiatus of three years due to Covid. This will be the program’s 46th season.

More than 30 kidney kids between 8 and 15 will attend. They have chronic kidney disease, are on dialysis, or have received a kidney transplant. Our campers will receive dialysis and/or medications at The Ruth Gottscho Dialysis Center in the camp’s wellness center. It’s staffed by the Division of Pediatric Nephrology at the Children’s Hospital at Montefiore. At all other times, they’ll be mainstreamed with the rest of the campers.

Frost Valley will follow New York State’s Dept. of Health Covid guidelines: masks and vaccines will not be required for regular campers or staff. However, our kidney campers will need to be vaccinated to give them an extra layer of protection.

Meet Frost Valley’s Incoming CEO, Riel Peerbooms

Riel Peerbooms will become CEO of Frost Valley on March 3rd, following the retirement of Jerry Huncosky who served so ably in that post for 20 years.

A native of The Netherlands, Riel has spent the balance of his professional life in New York City in education, youth services, and non-profit development.

“Riel brings to our storied camp an impressive range of abilities and experiences, most significantly through his most recent role as Executive Director of Trail Blazers, the Brooklyn-based non-profit that provides camping experiences to help young people grow through a connection with nature and the environment,” said Kate Lewis, President, Frost Valley Board of Trustees.

Riel is a staunch supporter of our kidney camp program. We look forward to getting to know him.

The Ruth Gottscho Kidney Foundation is an affiliated fund of the Community Foundation of New Jersey, P.O. Box 338, Morristown, NJ 07963-0338.